"For an image of “Deep Mind” painting see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gideonpolya/4288356319/ . Gideon Polya, "Humanism, Science, Art & Love – "Deep Mind" painting", MWCNews, 6 November 2007. “Deep Mind” is a huge painting that explores the World Within, the Mind, and prompts questions such as What are we? Who are we? Why are we here? How do we balance and control the dichotomies within us of light/dark, human/animal, good/bad, peace/passion, joy/anger, love/hate, altruism/greed? This indeed is an ambitious painting, my first attempt in Art to address the big question about Life, the Universe and Everything (the answer to which according to Douglas Adams’ “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” is simply “42”). I have painted a further version but a Loved One who is my most trenchant critic says that she loves this later version but it looks better rotated 90 degrees - perhaps after 42 attempts (hard work painting huge paintings this size!) I will find the Answer. This reminds me of the Buddhist parable about an illiterate peasant who asks the Master: “I am just an ordinary Man, I toil hard for a living, I am untutored and I do not know how to read – how can I find the Answer?” The Master replies “Take a bag of rice on your back and climb to the top of the Mountain and you will find the Truth”. The peasant does as he is instructed, climbs the Mountain and finally reaches the top, casts down the bag of rice and takes in the enormous view. The Master was Right – he has Arrived. Agnostic humanists such as myself approach Ontology (the Science of Being) through the Popperian Scientific Method involving the critical experimental testing of potentially falsifiable hypotheses, refining our models of reality and then repeating the process. Theists give up on the objective, scientific approach to the Answer and typically accept ancient stories from our ancestors as metaphors for reality. However Humanists, Theists and Buddhists can find a common ground in Art which all three accept as valid metaphorical, poetical and Artistic attempts to get to the Truth of things. Let me give you a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the World of “Deep Mind”. Technically, this is a huge painting (1.3 metres by 2.7 metres) painted in acrylic on high quality doubly-primed canvas. The dominant underlying geometry is a classical Golden Rectangle employed by the Ancient Greeks and Ancient Egyptians and also widely exploited by painters since the time of the Italian Renaissance. Arising from this fundamental geometry (mathematically, a Fibonacci Sequence of 0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13, 21, 34 …; the Da Vinci Code) are elements including (1) the Divine Sections (that divide the Golden Rectangle to form a square and another Golden Rectangle, these Golden Rectangles having the property that the Length is 1.618 – or phi – times the width); (2) 2 dominant circles (encompassing the obverse dichotomies referred to in the first sentence of this essay); (3) the central Vesica Pisces symbol from the overlapping of these Circles (a simultaneously sacred symbolism for the Christian fish, the Son of God in the Human Womb, the Gothic Arch and profane symbolism for the female vulva and the male penis and thence phallic bombs, bullets and missiles); and (4) the Sacred Flowers from the intersection of the Circles with the Diagonals of the Squares into which they fit exactly (these cruciform – cross-like - structures are sacred in representing the Cross and the Christian Holy Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit plus the Blessed Virgin and profane in that 4 is “lucky” and they resemble Paris quadrifolia or Truelove, the aphrodisiac and poisonous European plant that was used to bring “luck in Love” in Chaucer ‘s “Canterbury Tales” and in Chaucer’s Medieval Europe). However “Deep Mind” also draws upon the Artistic Metaphors of Islamic culture. Thus underneath the classical Italian Renaissance Golden Rectangle symbolism is one of the patterns used in the wonderful Tile Art patterns of Islamic Art from the Alhambra Palace in Spain to the glories of Isfahan, Samarkand and Bokhara. There are generically 17 such kinds of patterns (defined by my great uncle mathematician George Polya of the Swiss ETH and America’s Stanford University as 17 plane symmetry groups and exploited by the great Dutch lithographer M.C Escher who was in correspondence with George Polya for many years). The Islamic Tile Art patterns were created when Muslim civilization was a light in the World at the time of the European Dark Ages. These patterns arose from the Biblical and Quranic prohibition of graven images and always included an Imperfection as a metaphor for our imperfection as compared to the perfection of the Creator. I have described this cultural conflation by the acronym PEACE – which stands for Polya, Escher, Alhambra Cultural Ecumenism. Yet Man’s attempts to deal with the Inner Reality of the Mind and the Outer Reality of the physical world date back to the figurative cave paintings by Europeans and Indigenous Australian aboriginals of 20,000 years ago. Such figurative elements can be seen in “Deep Mind” at various levels – behind the complexity one can see large figures that in the upper, sunny, light, “good” zone are Ascendant and in the lower, darker, subterranean, ocean deep “bad” half of the painting are Descending like Fallen Angels. In addition there are smaller figures that repeat this theme of Ascendant Good and Descending Bad, a dichotomy first explored by the early agrarian Persian proto-Zoroastrians in Iran as early as 6000 BC. On top of this complexity I have represented molecular, microscopic and macroscopic aspects of the reality of “Deep Mind”. Thus at the molecular level (perceivable by highest resolution electron microscopy) we can discern a dominant geometrical theme resembling a DNA double helix of the genes that program our existence. The individual helical strands can represent the alpha-helices of the DNA-encoded proteins that make up most of our physical reality (together with water and thousands of other small and large molecules – for a rapid guide to this complexity see my huge pharmacological text “Biochemical Targets of Plant Bioactive Compounds. A pharmacological reference guide to sites of action and biological effects”, Taylor & Francis & CRC Press, London & New York, 2003: http://www.amazon.com/Biochemical-Targets-Plant-Bioactive-Compounds/dp/0415308291 . At the microscopic level I have represented neuronal connectivities, the neuron cell bodies (the blobs) and the axons and dendrites connecting neurons to each other in such a way that “the whole becomes greater than the sum of the parts”. Indeed if the World survives George Bush, Bush-ite-driven global warming and the nuclear threat perhaps in a century there will be robots whose connectivities are such that we will have created true Superman intelligences vastly superior to our own. These neural net representations are indeed disturbingly anthropomorphic like the medieval Mandrake Roots to which great superstition was attached. At the macroscopic level the two dominant circles represent the fundamental dichotomies of Deep Mind - the light, human, good, peaceful, joyous, loving, altruistic Person shadowed by a dark, animal, bad, impassioned, angry, hateful, and greedy Alter Ego. Just as there is no escaping our shadow out in the sunlight, we cannot ignore the remnants of our animal evolutionary history (Tyrannosaurus rex and ourselves have common ancestors). However our intellectual and moral evolution does not simply involve natural selection of hard-wiring genes (DNA) – it also involves the selection of “memes”, or ideas and cultural elements through societal selection of words, writing, music and art(see Richard Dawkins’ “The Selfish Gene”). Indeed “Deep Mind” illustrates this selection of “memes”, encompassing perceptions of Mind and Reality from 20,000 year old European and Aboriginal cave paintings, Zoroastrian, Greek and Egyptian elements, Medieval and post-Medieval Islamic Art, Renaissance Italian Art and post-Renaissance European Art combined with molecular, microscopic and macroscopic Scientific images of the Human Mind – with the overall, “order in chaos” Big Picture resembling post-war American Jackson Pollock Abstract Expressionism. I have been invited to take part in a public panel discussion of Australian Humanists over the question “what does Humanism mean to me?” In reading and thinking about this question I stumbled upon this definition of the Humanist Ideal from leading Australian philosopher Professor Brian Ellis: “to respect equality in the dignity of everyone”. Hopefully the silicon-and-steel (or possibly carbon-based Buckminsterfullerene-, organic semiconductor- and carbon nanotube-constructed) Superman of the future, conscious of his ontogeny (the history of his development) will “respect equality in the dignity of everyone” and obey Biochemist Isaac Asimov’s First Law of Robotics: “A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm”. “Deep Mind” is a cultural conflation of many views of the Human Mind that summarizes its animal past and bubbling, interacting good/bad dichotomies. In a sense we have already arrived at a version of the robotic Superman. Recent “memes” from the outstanding Australian bioethicist Professor Peter Singer (author of “Animal Liberation” and now at Princeton University, USA) instruct that human beings are obliged “not to injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm”. Indeed he has extended this ethical imperative to not inflicting avoidable pain on any sentient creature. However this First Law is being grossly violated in the 21st century - 16 million people die avoidably from deprivation and disease every year (about 10 million being infants) on a Spaceship Earth with the First World in charge of the flight deck. The World ignores the horrendous carnage of the racist Bush I plus Bush II Asian Wars, an Asian Holocaust that is still continuing and which has already consumed 10 million people ( see my books “Body Count. Global avoidable mortality since 1950”, G.M. Polya, Melbourne, 2007: http://globalavoidablemortality.blogspot.com/2008/08/body-count-global-avoidable-mortality.html, and “Jane Austen and the Black Hole of British History. Colonial rapacity, holocaust denial and the crisis in biological sustainability”, G.M. Polya, Melbourne, 1998, 2008: http://janeaustenand.blogspot.com/2008/09/jane-austen-and-black-hole-of-british.html ). Send the image of “Deep Mind” (see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gideonpolya/4288356319/ ) to everyone you can with the message that Peace and Love is the only way, that we must try to understand ourselves and others and “respect equality in the dignity of everyone”. See also Gideon Polya, “Bush-ite Rudd Australia Denial. Australia 2020
Summit Ignores
Genocide & Child Abuse”, MWC News, submitted 22 April 2008 .
My huge dichotomous “Deep Mind” painting (see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gideonpolya/4288356319/ ) illustrates this national denial psychosis.
Bush-ite Rudd Australia Denial. Australia 2020 Summit Ignores Genocide & Child Abuse
Australia has just witnessed an extraordinary Bush-ite propaganda event called the “Australia 2020 Summit”. The newly-elected, right-wing, Bush-ite, Rudd Labor Government called this 2-day Summit for discussion of new ideas for the future of Australia. Unfortunately the Australia 2020 Summit was – as predicted by astute observers - manipulated as a vehicle for endorsement of Bush-ite Rudd Labor Government policy.
Citizens were asked for Submissions and over 3,000 people responded with over 8,000 submissions covering 10 Topic Areas (thus my 170 suggestions covering all 10 Topic Areas are given the ID 2015 in the Web-displayed submissions: http://www.australia2020.gov.au/submissions/home.cfm ; the Initial Report of the Australia 2020 Summit can also be accessed via this link).
For the 2-day Summit the co-convenors were PM Rudd and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Melbourne, Professor Glyn Davis. Each of the 10 Topics Areas were co-chaired by a Government Minister and a Government-invited co-chair. Unfortunately while 5 of the co-chairs had PhDs only one of these was a scientist (a top medical scientist). One of the co-chairs was the CEO of the Rupert Murdoch News Limited media empire in Australia (that owns about 70% of city daily newspapers) and his boss-to-be Rupert’s son Lachlan was one of the 1,000 selected delegates –as if these guys didn’t have enough say already in the Australian Murdochracy.
Further, the composition of the 1,000 delegates (assertedly “Australia’s one thousand best and brightest”) was evidently BIASED as revealed by the fact that the delegates overwhelmingly supported Australia as a Republic by standing ovation - whereas a recent poll indicated 45% for, 36% against and 19% unsure (see a Republican report of this poll : http://www.republic.org.au/ARM-2001/enewsletter/Feb2007/feb2007.htm ) .
At the end of the conference the 10 Groups delivered consensus suggestions out of the thousands of ideas submitted to the Summit. However the “process” was well controlled in this “stacked” conference as reflected in the outcome – 40 non-controversial suggestions, substantially of the “let’s set up a committee” kind and consonant with Rudd Labor policy. The Bush-ite Rudd Labor Government has said that it will “seriously” address the Summit suggestions – thus giving itself lots of time to do NOTHING about serious problems (notably the endemic Australia Child Abuse epidemic and the global warming Climate Emergency) and a licence to pick and choose from the Summit-endorsed pot-pourri of policies consonant with those of the Government.
One of Australia’s (necessarily conservative) top political commentators provided the following summary of what she called Ten of the Biggest Ideas arising from the Australia 2020 Summit (see “The Age”: http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/now-for-the-plan-of-action/2008/04/20/1208629730818.html ). I have analysed these briefly below with reference to what I submitted to the Summit in my Submission number 2015 (the references below are to Topic Number and Suggestion; thus my last suggestion out of 171 made was #19 in Topic 10 and is denoted 10.19 for easy reference). 1.
“Introduction of an Australian republic with a two-stage, beginning with a
plebiscite on the issue, followed by a referendum” – as indicated above this
arose from an evidently “stacked” conference; this was MY suggestion:
“9.12. The idea of a Republic is supported by most Australians –
however a Republic Declaration should not enable us to escape our continuing
remorseless association with past and continuing British atrocities.” 7.
“Bringing regulations for transport and agriculture across states into line” –
this was a very sensible suggestion from a Group headed by a top business man
with a PhD in economics. However this also falls into the pro-US, pro-Federalism
policies of the Bush-ite Rudd Labor Government. Thus diminishing States Rights
would enable extension of racist removal of Aboriginal Human Rights to all
states (and indeed this has been publicly canvassed). I made numerous
suggestions in this area which were resolutely ignored e.g. “2.1.
Climate emergency and peak oil means renewables, electric vehicles, hydrogen
vehicles, expanded public rail transport, and cessation of fossil fuel burning
and highway building. 2.2. Just as we now have legislated mandatory efficient
ENERGY USAGE (e.g. with long life energy-saving lights) so we need mandated
efficient ENERGY PROVISION. 2.3. Building highways and fossil fuel power
stations should stop – but sensible rail systems should expand in concert with
intelligent re-design of our cities. 2.4. Urgent need for the expert estimation
of the “true cost” of major economic components such as coal-fired power
stations and cars. 2.5. There is an urgent need for the expert estimation of the
“true value” of public assets. 2.6. Save wild nature - sustainable use of wild
nature is economically compelling (Balmford et al). 2.7. Continued economic
growth with NEGATIVE CO2 emissions means sole renewable energy use, re-foresting
and restoring carbon to the soil. 2.8. In relation to the “true cost” of
coal-fired electricity ALL renewables (including the latest photovoltaic
technologies) are cheaper – and accordingly there must be massive investment in
renewable energy. 2.9. Atmospheric CO2 must be kept to below 450 ppm in order to
save the 63,000 jobs and $7 billion pa from the Great
Barrier Reef. 2.10. The urgent need for a Declaration of Climate
Emergency, Declaration of a Climate State of Emergency would have a
transformative role in relation to economic infrastructure. 2.11. Change to
“needs” rather than “desires” in our economy . 2.12. Economic efficiency must be
the goal rather than economic expansion per se. 2.13. Implementation of
Concentrated Urban goals should mean a more concentrated and efficient economic
infrastructure. 2.14. There will be hugely expensive re-positioning of economic
infrastructure unless the World declares a state of climate emergency. 2.15.
There will necessarily be major changes to our economic infrastructure when
Australia declares a Climate State of
Emergency. 2.16. Massive changes to water-related infrastructure are urgently
needed.” The above analysis of Ten of the Biggest Ideas from the Australia 2020 Summit underscores its politcization, dishonesty, incompetence and moral failure. This moral failure is best illustrated in relation to the IGNORING of the Climate emergency that threatens Australia and the World and the IGNORING of horrendous Child Abuse in Australia (one third of all Australian women suffer childhood sexual abuse). These concerns are set out in the following letter I have sent to Australia media and politicians. The Silence has been Deafening. LETTER Dear Sir, Madam, Mr, Mrs, Dr, Senator etc,
Australia 2020 Summit betrayed Australian children
The Australia 2020 Summit Initial Report IGNORES the Climate Emergency and Sustainability Emergency facing the World with Australia being the world's top Developed nation “annual per capita CO2 polluter” (and it also IGNORES horrendous Australian child abuse – one third of all Australian women are sexually abused as children).
According to top US climate scientist Dr James Hansen the world has passed a tipping point at which all Arctic summer sea ice may be totally gone by about 2015. He says that the world must REDUCE atmospheric CO2 to a safe and sustainable 300-350 parts per million (ppm).
Coincidentally 2015 is the ID for the over 170 submissions that I sent to the Australia 2020 Summit over the 10 Topics – my final suggestion was “10.19. URGENT - a Global Declaration of a Climate State of Emergency to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) to a safe and sustainable level of 300-350 ppm.” (also see my Submission 5.13: “… childhood sexual abuse – this and related abuses should be urgently addressed Nation-wide”).
According to top UK climate scientist Professor James Lovelock FRS over 6 billion will perish this century due to unaddressed climate change. UK Chief Scientific Adviser Professor John Beddington CMG FRS says that "billions" are threatened by the US, UK and EU biofuel perversion that is grossly CO2 polluting and ALREADY contributing to huge global food price rises and threatening biofuel famine, biofuel genocide and climate genocide.
One of the Initial Report’s 10 Biggest Ideas was carbon neutral new housing by 2020. If PM Howard was Bush’s Man of Steel, then PM Rudd is the Man of Irony.
The Australia 2020 Summit has comprehensively betrayed Australian children (for citizen Submissions see: http://www.australia2020.gov.au/submissions/home.cfm ).
Yours sincerely,
Dr Gideon Polya Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
END LETTER
The “stacked’, perverted, Australia 2020 Summit has revealed the moral incompetence of PC racist Bush-ite White Australia which IGNORES horrendous endemic child abuse and Genocide of Indigenous Aborigines, Occupied Iraqis, and Occupied Afghans – crimes that are dwarfed by Australia’s world-leading climate criminal involvement in Climate Genocide.
This Australian denial is a national equivalent of Sigmund Freud’s horrendous fraud in which he deliberately and knowingly dismissed the horrendous reality of child sexual abuse as fantasy in order to further his career (see: J.M. Masson, The Assault on Truth: Freud's Suppression of the Seduction Theory. Farrar Straus & Giroux,1984; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Moussaieff_Masson ).
PC Racist Australia is indeed the Land of Flies, Lies and Slies (spin-based untruths).
I have done MY duty by making a formal complaint (2008) to the International Criminal Court (ICC) over Australian involvement in ongoing Aboriginal Genocide, Iraqi Genocide, Afghan Genocide and Climate Genocide (see: http://climateemergency.blogspot.com/2008/02/formal-complaint-to-international.html ) .
Please do YOUR duty as a citizen of the world by informing everyone you can and acting ethically in all your avoidable dealings with those actively or passively complicit in genocidal Australian human rights abuses. Would you buy soap made in Auschwitz? |